Some visionaries shoot for the moon. We shot for the roof.

In the beginning of the U.S. green roof movement, there was Charlie Miller, P.E. An engineer. An advocate. A visionary. And this is his company. Founded by Charlie, guided by Charlie. Building on his passion and conviction, we’ve built his dream of green urban rejuvenation into the premier green roof provider firm in the United States. We’ve earned multiple design awards. We’ve completed countless successful installations across the country. And we’ve built a nationwide network of elite, certified contracting partners just as passionate as we are.

We do firsts because first solves problems.

When others say they can’t, we can, will and do. It’s why we’ve established a reputation for cost-saving, performance-enhancing innovation. And, as so often happens with leaders, we’ve made more than our fair share of “firsts” along the way. American firsts like:

Constructing a green roof on 30 degree slopes

Installing a thin green roof system designed to withstand winds of over 90 mph

Wrong is not the right way to do right.

If the goal of a green roof is to do good, why would anyone do it any other way? Call it a byproduct of Charlie’s scientific brain, but we adhere to an unyielding performance-based approach. All of our designs comply with accepted industry standards and testing methodologies (many of which Charlie wrote!). Our green roof media is engineered for load constraints, water management, durability, energy conservation and plant performance. And we’re serious about plants. Drawing from our field-tested plant lists, our plant selections are tailored to specific regional environments, micro-climates, client expectations and the unique characteristics of the green roof profile. Plus, over the course of years, we track the performance of our Roofmeadow green roofs; learning from every roof we build. Every green roof we design and warrant benefits from this ongoing research and monitoring. We try to design green roofs that do not need irrigation. But, if irrigation is necessary, then we irrigate in ways that minimize water usage and waste. We pioneered the domestic use of German-style base flood and capillary irrigation systems to improve plant vitality and reduce water usage and maintenance costs. We are driven to deliver sensible, proven approaches that lead to successful outcomes.

Your Green Roof “Seal of Approval”

Green roofs are not kits-in-a-box to be ordered from a catalog. We tailor our standard specifications and details for each project and source materials as locally as possible to minimize unnecessary cost, transportation pollution and environmental impact.

All of our designs contemplate the real world logistics of material sourcing and construction. We design green roofs that can be built efficiently and cost- effectively. In fact, we look for ways to eliminate unnecessary costs all the time, and materials-sourcing is a perfect example. Most green roof providers do not manufacture their own components. Most green roof providers private-label the components that come from the same handful of distributors and resell them to green roof contractors with a hefty upcharge. This is not the way we do business. We simply want the best, least expensive components in every green roof we warrant, and we will warrant any component we approve. That’s it. We evaluate potential green roof components from all over the world (beginning with testing in our own laboratory). If we can’t find a cost–effective solution, chances are we will design one ourselves. For each project, we provide our Network contractors a “shopping list,” and they purchase the green roof components directly from the distributors – saving you money by eliminating the middle man. Essentially, we are your green roof product seal of approval.

Monitoring and Simulation. It’s proof of concept, pre-concept.

Contrary to what we sometimes like to think, a green roof isn’t the right solution all the time. But how do you know when it is? We can shed light on the question. We have taken great pains to identify simulation algorithms that evaluate unique green roof energy and water management capabilities. With these algorithms, we can demonstrate the performance of our green roofs before they are even built. For example, after simulating the proposed green roof’s stormwater management capabilities for your particular climate, we can advocate on your behalf with your local stormwater agency so that you aren’t spending more on your sitewide stormwater management plan than you have to. Low-cost monitoring also figures into design. After performing wind and shade studies on your roof, we can better assess how to leverage the various microclimates on your roof to optimize the roof garden layout. All so you have a good idea what you’re getting into well before you get into it.

Installation is only the beginning.

A vegetative cover can make your underlying roof last two to three times longer. So if your green roof partner disappears after the final planting, you’ve got a problem. Good thing we’re with you for the duration. With industry-leading warranties, offering 20 years or more of confidence. With long term documented maintenance management. With advanced Electric Field Vector Mapping® (EFVM®) leak detection technology. With spot checks by Roofmeadow staff. And with structured, well-documented maintenance programs. We will even help you market your green roof after it is planted with narratives, mockups, and high-resolution images of your installation.

A little less gray, a little more Blue Green.

More than an advocate, Charlie Miller, P.E., has been pioneering urban Blue Green Technologies since his earliest days as an young Civil Engineer. His quest to enhance and transform the concrete world of city living through better water resource management has led him to advance the science of green roof design and publish a number of highly regarded and influential technical papers. His articles have appeared in Landscape Architecture and the Building Safety Journal. He’s a member of the ASTM Green Roof Task Group (E60.01.71) and the primary author of four of the five published ASTM green roof standards and testing methods. He also advises ANSI and SPRI on the development of their green roof standards. Even as he participates on the advisory committee for the Center for Green Roof Research at Penn State University, his passion reverberates throughout our company inspiring our green roof design, monitoring and research programs – both in the lab and in the field – across the country.